Information processing system, operation device, and operation device control method

ABSTRACT

An operation device has a movable portion movable between a first position and a second position. The movable portion is operated by a user while the operation device is gripped by the user. The operation device receives information identifying a control mode and control information defined for each control mode as an instruction related to control of a tactile force sense, and controls the tactile force sense presented to the movable portion by using the received control information in the control mode identified by the received information.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an information processing system, anoperation device, and a control method for the operation device.

BACKGROUND ART

An operation device in a game machine for home use or the like detectsan operation performed by a user, such as depression of a button, ashake of the operation device, or the like, and sends out informationindicating the detected operation of the user to a main unit of the gamemachine or the like. In addition, such operation devices include anoperation device that presents a tactile force sense to the user byusing an actuator or the like.

SUMMARY Technical Problem

However, the above-described conventional operation device having atactile force sense presenting function presents a tactile force senseaccording to an instruction from the main unit of the game machine orthe like. Thus, when a tactile force sense is to be presented inresponse to an operation of the user, the content of the operation ofthe user is sent out to the main unit, a parameter necessary to controlthe tactile force sense is obtained by calculation on the main unitside, the parameter is sent out from the main unit to the operationdevice, and the operation device performs an operation of presenting thetactile force sense on the basis of the parameter. It therefore takestime to present the tactile force sense after the operation isperformed. Tactile force senses that can be presented are thus limited.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-describedactual situation. It is an object of the present invention to provide anoperation device capable of presenting tactile force senses in variousmodes and a control method for the operation device.

Solution to Problem

According to one mode of the present invention for solving the problemof the foregoing conventional example, there is provided an operationdevice having a movable portion movable between a first position and asecond position, the movable portion being operated by a user while theoperation device is gripped by the user, the operation device including:receiving means for receiving information identifying a control mode andcontrol information determined for each control mode as an instructionrelated to control of a tactile force sense; and control means forcontrolling the tactile force sense presented to the movable portion byusing the received control information in the control mode identified bythe received information.

Advantageous Effect of Invention

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to presenttactile force senses in various modes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an operation device according to anembodiment of the present invention as viewed from a front side.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the operation device according to theembodiment of the present invention as viewed from a back side.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting an example of a configuration of theoperation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram depicting an example of a movable portionof the operation device according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram conceptually depicting relation betweenan arm and a button cover according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram depicting an example of theoperation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram depicting an example of the content ofa packet transmitted and received in an information processing systemaccording to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram depicting an example of settinginformation used by the operation device according to the embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart depicting an example of operation of theinformation processing system according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto the drawings. It is to be noted that the size, ratio, arrangement,and the like of each part in the following description are an example,and that the example of the present embodiment is not limited to sizes,ratios, and arrangements depicted in the figures and the like. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, an information processing system according to theembodiment of the present invention includes an operation device 10 anda main device 20 such as a game machine for home use or the like, themain device 20 being connected to the operation device 10 by radio orwire. The operation device 10 outputs the content of an instructionoperation received from a user to the main device 20. In addition, theoperation device 10 receives instructions input from the main device 20,and controls various parts. Detailed operation of the operation device10 will be described later.

In the example of the present embodiment, the operation device 10 is setas an operation device to be fitted to either the left hand or righthand of the user. An example of the operation device 10 is asillustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theoperation device 10 as viewed from a front side. FIG. 2 is a perspectiveview of the operation device 10 as viewed from a back side.

The operation device 10 includes a gripping portion 21 gripped by theuser and an operating portion 22. The gripping portion 21 formssubstantially the shape of a polygonal column. The operating portion 22is formed continuously from the gripping portion 21. In the example ofFIGS. 1 and 2, the operating portion 22 includes, on a front side, asensor portion 221 and a button operating portion 222, and includes, ona back side, a finger sensor 223 and a rocking button 224 correspondingto a movable portion according to the present invention. As illustratedin FIG. 3, the operation device 10 also includes a circuit unit 100within a main body of the operation device 10. The circuit unit 100includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an interface unit 13, anda communicating unit 14.

The control unit 11 is a program control device such as a microcomputeror the like. The control unit 11 operates according to a program storedin the storage unit 12. In the present embodiment, the control unit 11receives, from the main device 20, information identifying a controlmode and control information defined for each control mode as aninstruction related to control for presenting a tactile force sense viathe rocking button 224 as the movable portion. The control unit 11 thencontrols the tactile force sense to be presented to the user in responseto a moving operation by the user of the rocking button 224, by usingthe received control information in the control mode identified by thereceived information. Operation of the control unit 11 will be describedlater. The storage unit 12 is a memory device. The storage unit 12retains the program executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12also operates as a work memory for the control unit 11.

The interface unit 13 is connected to various parts of the operatingportion 22. The interface unit 13 receives various kinds of signals suchas signals indicating user instructions input from the sensor portion221, the button operating portion 222, and the like, and outputs thesignals to the control unit 11. The interface unit 13 also outputsinstructions input from the control unit 11 to various parts of theoperating portion 22.

The communicating unit 14 includes, for example, a radio communicationinterface for Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like or a wirecommunication interface for universal serial bus (USB), a wired localarea network (LAN), or the like. The communicating unit 14 is connectedto the main device 20, and sends and receives various signals to andfrom the main device 20.

In the present embodiment, a fixture is fixed to one side of either aleft side surface or a right side surface of the operation device 10.The fixture is, for example, an annularly formed flexible belt. The useroperating the operation device 10 in the present example uses theoperation device 10 in a state in which the index to little fingers ofthe user himself/herself are passed through the fixture, and the mainbody of the operation device 10 is fixed at a position abutting againstthe base of the thumb of the user. In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, astate is depicted in which the operation device 10 is fixed with theright side surface side of the operation device 10 pressed against thepalm of a hand of the user. In addition, suppose that the size of theoperation device 10 is approximately a size such that when the userwearing the operation device 10 after passing the fingers through thefixture naturally grips the operation device 10, the distal joint of thethumb of the user reaches the button operating portion 222 on the frontside of the operation device 10. That is, in the present embodiment, atleast a part of the buttons or the like of the operating portion 22including the rocking button 224 are arranged in a range reached by thedigit of the user when the user grips the gripping portion 21.

Specifically, when the user wearing the operation device 10 naturallygrips the operation device 10, the index finger of the user is at aposition touching the rocking button 224 of the operation device 10, andthe user grips the gripping portion 21 with the palm of the hand, themiddle finger, the third finger, and the little finger. Needless to say,even when the user opens the hand from this state, the operation device10 does not fall because the operation device 10 is fixed to the hand ofthe user by the fixture.

The sensor portion 221 is disposed at a position slightly below aposition that the distal joint side of the thumb of the user reaches,that is, a position to which the proximal joint side of the thumb of theuser is in proximity, when the user naturally grips a device main body210, for example. The finger sensor portion 221 detects the thumb of theuser in a detectable range, the detectable range being a relatively wideangle range from the left side surface side to the right side surfaceside of the front of the operation device 10, and the detectable rangebeing centered about a direction normal to the surface of the operationdevice 10 on the front side of the operation device 10. Then, a positionat which the thumb is detected (an angle within the above-describedangle range) and a distance from the finger sensor portion 221 to thethumb of the user are detected, and detection result informationincluding these pieces of information is output to the control unit 11.The finger sensor portion 221 may be any sensor portion such as acamera, an optical sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, an electrostaticcapacitive sensor, or the like.

The button operating portion 222 includes at least one button. When theuser performs an operation of depressing the button, the buttonoperating portion 222 outputs information identifying the depressedbutton to the control unit 11. The finger sensor 223 detects whether ornot the middle to little fingers of the user are in proximity to (ortouching) the gripping portion 21 of the operation device 10. Then,information indicating a result of the detection is output to thecontrol unit 11.

The rocking button 224 corresponds to the movable portion according tothe present invention, and is a button capable of rotational movementwith respect to the main body of the operation device 10 between a firstposition where the rocking button 224 projects to the back side of theoperation device 10 and a second position where the rocking button 224is pressed in to the main body side of the operation device 10. Therocking button 224 is pressed in to the second position by the indexfinger or the like of the user, and is biased by an elastic body or thelike to return to the first position when the user releases the finger.

The operation device 10 according to the present embodiment expressesthe texture of a virtual object that the user virtually holds, bypresenting a tactile force sense to the finger of the user by therocking button 224. Specifically, the tactile force sense is presentedto the user by changing a movable range of the rocking button 224, andpresenting a reaction force in response to an operation of the user (aforce resisting a force with which the user presses in the rockingbutton 224). It is to be noted that the present embodiment is notlimited to the present example. The disposition and mode of the movableportion are not limited to those illustrated here as long as a tactileforce sense can be presented to a part of a hand of the user by, forexample, changing the movable portion to a member disposed in thevicinity of the palm of a hand of the user instead of the rocking button224, and presenting a tactile force sense to the palm of the hand of theuser.

Specifically, in the present embodiment of this example, as illustratedin FIG. 4, the rocking button 224 includes a button cover 224 b as amovable member, a button cover supporting portion 30, a position sensor31 detecting the position of the rocking button 224, and a regulatingportion 32 regulating the movable range of the button cover 224 b to aspecified range.

Here, the position sensor 31 is a potentiometer or the like attached toa hinge as a rotational center of an arm 323. The position sensor 31outputs information on the rotational angle of the arm 323.Alternatively, the position sensor 31 may be a potentiometer or the likeattached to a hinge as a rotational center of the rocking button 224rather than the arm 323. In this case, the position sensor 31 outputsinformation on the rotational angle of the rocking button 224. Inaddition, the regulating portion 32 includes, for example, a motor 321as an actuator, a control circuit 322 for the motor 321, and the arm 323as a regulating member driven by the actuator.

The button cover 224 b has a surface pressed by the finger of the user.The button cover supporting portion 30 has a hinge fixed to the mainbody side of the operation device 10. The button cover supportingportion 30 supports the button cover 224 b in a state of being rotatablein a predetermined angle range (between the first position and thesecond position described above) about the hinge. In addition, thebutton cover supporting portion 30 biases the button cover 224 b towardthe first position by an elastic body such as a spring or the like.Thus, in a state in which the user is not pressing, the button cover 224b moves to the first position.

The button cover 224 b can be pressed in to a position abutting againstthe arm 323 to be described later (which position will be referred to asan abutment position) between the first position at which the buttoncover 224 b projects to the back side of the operation device 10 and thesecond position at which the button cover 224 b is pressed in to themain body side of the operation device 10. Accordingly, when the usergrips the main body of the operation device 10, and presses the buttoncover 224 b with the index finger, the button cover 224 b moves to theabutment position without the user feeling any particular resistingforce (by merely resisting only the biasing force of the button coversupporting portion 30). A tactile force sense of touching a hard objectis presented when the button cover 224 b abuts against the arm 323 atthe abutment position.

When the user further grips with force and thereby increases thepressing force against the button cover 224 b, and when the motor 321 isrotated so as to retreat the arm 323 to the main body side of theoperation device 10, a tactile force sense can be presented to the useras if the object were deformed by the gripping force. At this time, adifference in hardness can be presented at the same time by changing therotational speed of the motor 321 according to the pressing forceagainst the button cover 224 b by the user.

The motor 321 of the regulating portion 32 is a motor capable ofcontrolling the rotational angle, the motor being a servomotor, astepping motor, or the like. The motor 321 may be a so-called gearedmotor integrated with a gear head. The motor 321 performs rotatingoperation according to a current input from the control circuit 322.

The control circuit 322 for the motor 321 receives input of a torquecontrol value r and information D on a rotational direction from thecontrol unit 11. The control circuit 322 then supplies the motor 321with a current whose magnitude is in accordance with the torque controlvalue T and whose direction corresponds to the information D on therotational direction. The motor 321 rotates in the specified rotationaldirection with a torque corresponding to the current. Specifically, whenthe rotational direction is “up,” a tip end (abutting part) of the arm323 is rotated in a direction of moving to the button cover 224 b side.In addition, when the rotational direction is “down,” the tip end(abutting part) of the arm 323 is rotated in a direction of moving tothe main body side of the operation device 10.

When the rotational direction is “up,” the tip end (abutting part) ofthe arm 323 is rotated in a direction of moving to the button cover 224b side, the torque produced by the motor 321 and the pressing forceagainst the button cover 224 b by the user (which pressing force istransmitted by the arm 323 as a rotational force in an oppositedirection from the rotational direction of the motor 321) cancel eachother, and the button cover 224 b moves toward the second position at aspeed corresponding to an amount by which the pressing force exceeds thetorque. In addition, when the pressing force and the torque balance out,the button cover 224 b is in an immobile state at a position at the timepoint of the balancing out.

In addition, the control circuit 322 may receive input of a rotationalangle θ in place of the torque control value τ from the control unit 11.In this case, the control circuit 322 rotates the tip end (abuttingpart) of the arm 323 in a direction of moving to the button cover 224 bside by controlling rotation of the motor 321 to the input rotationalangle θ. Incidentally, control that rotates the motor to a determinedrotational angle and stops the motor is widely known, and thereforedetailed description thereof will be omitted here.

In yet another example, the control circuit 322 may receive input of acurrent value or a voltage value in place of the torque control value τfrom the control unit 11. In this case, the control circuit 322 suppliesa current having a magnitude corresponding to the input value to themotor 321, or applies a voltage having a magnitude corresponding to theinput value to the motor 321.

The arm 323 is attached to a rotating shaft of the motor 321, andregulates the movable range of the button cover 224 b according to therotational angle θ of the motor 321. Specifically, in the example of thepresent embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the arm 323 is disposed onthe back side of the button cover 224 b, that is, the main body side ofthe operation device 10 (on the movement trajectory of the button cover224 b). The arm 323 includes an arm member 323 a and a disk-shaped armmain body 323 c. In the example of FIG. 4, the center of the disk-shapedarm main body 323 c is fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 321. Thearm member 323 a is formed integrally with the arm main body 323 c, andis a projecting portion projecting from the arm main body 323 c in adirection tangential to the circumference of the arm main body 323 c.

According to the arm 323 in the example of FIG. 4, the position of thetip end (abutting portion) of the arm member 323 a moves within themovable range of the button cover 224 b according to the rotationalangle of the motor 321. Thus, the button cover 224 b can move to theabutment position abutting against the abutting portion of the armmember 323 a.

FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually depicting relation between the arm 323and the button cover 224 b in the example of FIG. 4. As conceptuallydepicted in FIG. 5, when an angle (φ in FIG. 5(B)) formed between thelongitudinal direction (projecting direction) of the arm member 323 aand the moving direction of the button cover 224 b is equal to or morethan a predetermined value (for example, 90 degrees), the button cover224 b can move freely between the first position (X in FIG. 5(A)) andthe second position (Y in FIG. 5(A)) without the moving range of thebutton cover 224 b being regulated (by merely resisting only the biasingforce of the button cover supporting portion 30). In the example of FIG.5(A), the rotational angle of the arm 323 is assumed to be “0,” and φ isassumed to be 90 degrees.

On the other hand, when the arm 323 is rotated by the rotational angle θby the motor 321, and the angle φ formed between the longitudinaldirection (projecting direction) of the arm member 323 a and the movingdirection of the button cover 224 b becomes less than the predeterminedvalue (for example, 90 degrees), the tip end of the arm member 323 a islocated within the movement trajectory of the button cover 224 b.Incidentally, in this case, the position of an angle determined by acounterclockwise rotation by an angle γ in the drawing from an initialposition of the arm 323 is set as a maximum position θmax (set inadvance), the maximum position is set as a reference, and the rotationalangle θ of the arm 323 is defined as an angle θ by which the arm 323returns in the direction of the initial position from the referenceangle. That is, in the present example, Rotational Angle θ=γ at theinitial position, and θ=0 when a maximum rotational angle is formed.Then, the smaller the rotational angle θ of the arm 323 becomes, thatis, the closer to “0” the formed angle φ becomes, the more the abutmentposition (position of Y′ in FIG. 5(B)) of the arm member 323 a and thebutton cover 224 b approaches the first position (X in FIG. 5(B)) of thebutton cover 224 b. Thus, an amount by which the button cover 224 b canbe pressed in (movable range) is regulated.

Incidentally, the regulating portion 32 is not limited to the example ofthe motor 321 and the arm 323 as illustrated in FIG. 4. As in a case ofa linear actuator and a solenoid as a regulating member moved by thelinear actuator, for example, when the regulating member can regulatethe moving range of the button cover 224 b to a specified range, theregulating member may regulate the moving range of the button cover 224b by linearly moving in the moving direction of the button cover 224 band having one end side of the regulating member abut against the buttoncover 224 b.

The main device 20, for example, includes a camera and images the user.In each predetermined timing, the main device 20 detects the position ofthe hand of the user within a real space, and obtains, by calculation, avirtual position of the hand of the user within a game space, thevirtual position corresponding to the detected position within the realspace. Then, a tactile force sense to be presented to the hand of theuser is determined as game processing on the basis of information on theobtained virtual position. As an example, when the main device 20detects that the user is holding a gun in a game, and pulling a trigger,the main device 20 outputs, to the operation device 10, an instructionto perform control so as to present a tactile force sense when thetrigger of the gun is pulled.

Description will next be made of operation of the control unit 11 of theoperation device 10 according to the embodiment of the presentinvention. In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6, thecontrol unit 11 includes: a receiving unit 51 that receives aninstruction related to control of a tactile force sense; a tactile forcesense control unit 52 that generates an instruction for controlling thetactile force sense to be presented to the user in response to anoperation of the rocking button 224 by the user on the basis of thereceived instruction; and an output unit 53 that outputs the generatedinstruction.

The receiving unit 51 receives the instruction related to control of thetactile force sense from the main device 20. In the present embodiment,this instruction is transmitted in a state of being included in aninstruction data packet transmitted repeatedly in each predeterminedtiming from the main device 20. Here, the transmission timing of theinstruction data packet may be approximately timing of 10 to 100 Hz(timing of 10 to 100 times per second). In addition, as illustrated inFIG. 7, the instruction data packet includes a header part H including apacket identifier (N), a tactile force sense instruction part F, and another data part D. In addition, the tactile force sense instruction partF includes information (M) identifying a control mode and controlinformation (P) defined for each control mode.

The receiving unit 51 receives the information (M) identifying thecontrol mode and control information (P) defined for each control modeby receiving the packet. A concrete example of these pieces ofinformation will be described later.

The tactile force sense control unit 52 controls the tactile force sensepresented in response to a moving operation of the rocking button 224 asthe movable portion by using the control information received togetherwith the information identifying the control mode in the control modeidentified by the information received in the receiving unit 51. In theexample of the present embodiment, the tactile force sense control unit52 controls the tactile force sense presented to the user by controllingthe motor 321 as an actuator. This operation of the tactile force sensecontrol unit 52 will be described later in detail.

The output unit 53 outputs a control instruction (a torque controlvalue, a current value, a voltage value, or the like) input from thetactile force sense control unit 52 to the control circuit 322 for themotor 321.

The operation of the tactile force sense control unit 52 will bedescribed in the following by using concrete examples. In an example ofthe present embodiment, control modes specified by instructions from themain device 20 include:

(1) a first control mode that controls the actuator by specifying atarget position of the actuator and information of a control gain,(2) a second control mode that controls the actuator by specifying thevoltage value of a voltage supplied to the actuator or the current valueof a current supplied to the actuator, and(3) a third control mode that instructs the operation device 10 side tocontrol the actuator by specifying which setting information to useamong a plurality of pieces of setting information in which controlinformation for positional ranges of the actuator or the movable portionis set.

(Example of Specifying Target Position and Gain)

First, in the case of (1) specifying the target position of the actuatorand the information of the control gain (first control mode), theinformation of the control gain which information is received from themain device 20 includes a gain (p gain p) for a position error and again (d gain d) for a speed. In this case, the tactile force sensecontrol unit 52 receives, as positional information of the actuator fromthe position sensor 31, information on the rotational angle θ of the arm323 rotated by pressing in the rocking button 224. In the example here,the target position of the actuator which target position is included incontrol information is specified as the rotational angle θt of the arm323.

Then, letting G be a gain constant, the tactile force sense control unit52 defines the torque control value τ output to the control circuit 322of the motor 321 as the actuator as

τ=(p×|θ−θt|+d×Δθ)/Gk

where Δθ is a difference between a value Op input from the positionsensor 31 last time and a value θ input from the position sensor 31 thistime, that is,

Δθ=θ−θp

|x| denotes calculation of an absolute value of x. The tactile forcesense control unit 52 outputs the torque control value τ calculated hereto the output unit 53.

Further, in the case of the present example, on the basis of adifference θ−θt between an actual angle of the arm 323 and a targetposition, the tactile force sense control unit 52 outputs, to the outputunit 53, the rotational direction of the motor 321 as “up” when θ−θt>0or as “down” otherwise. Incidentally, the determination of “up” or“down” may be made on the basis of the sign of the torque control valueτ without using θ−θt, and “up” may be output to the output unit 53 whenτ>0 or “down” may be output to the output unit 53 otherwise. This takesinto consideration a fact that, depending on a control method, therotational direction of the motor 321 can be “down” even when θ−θt>0.

Incidentally, the tactile force sense control unit 52 in the presentexample may set the torque control value τ to “0” and output the torquecontrol value τ to the output unit 53 when |θ−θt| is less than apredetermined value.

In addition, the target position of the actuator may be specified asinformation on the position of the rocking button 224 as the movableportion (rotational angle). In this case, the position sensor 31 outputsinformation on the rotational angle of the rocking button 224 ratherthan that of the arm 323.

(Example of Specifying Voltage Value or Current Value)

In addition, in the case of (2) specifying the voltage value of avoltage supplied to the actuator or the current value of a currentsupplied to the actuator (second control mode), the tactile force sensecontrol unit 52 outputs the current value received or the voltage valuereceived to the output unit 53 as it is. In the present example,receiving the input of the current value or the voltage value via theoutput unit 53, the control circuit 322 supplies the current value orthe voltage value to the motor 321. The receiving unit 51 in the presentexample receives information indicating a rotational direction(information indicating “up” or “down”) from the main device 20 togetherwith the current value or the voltage value. The tactile force sensecontrol unit 52 then outputs the information indicating the rotationaldirection to the output unit 53 as it is.

(Example of Specifying Duration)

In the example of specifying the voltage value or the current value, thereceiving unit 51 may receive, from the main device 20, informationidentifying the second control mode and information related to aduration of control together with the current value or the voltagevalue.

In this case, the tactile force sense control unit 52 clocks an elapsedtime from a time point of outputting the current value or the voltagevalue to the control circuit 322 by using clocking means not depicted(which clocking means may be publicly known clocking means that can beimplemented by a clock signal generating unit and a counter, forexample), and instructs the control circuit 322 to stop the operation ofthe motor 321 (for example, outputs “0” as the current value) when theduration specified by the received information has passed. According tothis, even when information related to control of the actuator is notnewly received from the main device 20, it is possible to end processingat a point in time that the specified time has passed, and present atactile force sense intended by the processing performed on the maindevice 20 side even when communication with the main device 20 isinterrupted.

(Example of Specifying Control Pattern)

Description will next be made of an example of (3) instructing theoperation device 10 side to control the actuator by specifying whichsetting information to use among a plurality of pieces of settinginformation in which control information for positional ranges of theactuator or the movable portion is set (third control mode).

Incidentally, the positional range of the actuator in the presentembodiment actually represents the range of the rotational angle of thearm 323. However, the range of the angle may be the range of therotational angle of the rotating shaft of the actuator itself, or may beotherwise (a case where the arm 323 is connected via a reduction gear orthe like). In the latter case, the position on an output side of thereduction gear corresponds to the position of the actuator.

In the present example, the storage unit 12 of the operation device 10stores, in advance, setting information including at least one set of apositional range of the actuator or the movable portion and controlinformation. As illustrated in FIG. 8, which represents an example ofshooting a gun in a game, for example, this information includes a setof information θ1 min indicating a lower limit of the positional rangeas information indicating the positional range of the actuator, a targetposition θt1=40 as the control information, and control gains p1 and d1,or a set of information θ2 min indicating a lower limit of thepositional range as information indicating the positional range of theactuator and information CV on the voltage value (or information CI onthe current value) as the control information. Incidentally, an exampleof using the positional range of the actuator is illustrated in FIG. 8and the following description. However, in a case of using thepositional range of the movable portion, it suffices to use informationindicating the positional range of the movable portion in place of thepositional range of the actuator in FIG. 8 and the followingdescription.

The tactile force sense control unit 52 in the present example receivesinformation on the rotational angle θ of the arm 323 or the rockingbutton 224 as the movable portion, and refers to the control informationassociated with the information on the positional range including thereceived rotational angle θ in the specified setting information. Whenthe control information is a set of the target position and the controlgains, the tactile force sense control unit 52 controls the actuator byprocessing similar to that of the first control mode. In addition, whenthe referred-to control information is the voltage value or the currentvalue, the tactile force sense control unit 52 controls the actuator byprocessing similar to that of the second control mode.

Specifically, in the example of FIG. 8, when the positional rangebecomes less than θ2 min (for example, 40), an “up mode” is set, andcontrol is performed with the target position θt1 and the control gainsp1 and d1 (the rotational direction is up, though not depicted) in aninterval from θ1 min=20 to θ2 min=40 as a lower limit of a nextpositional range. In addition, during this “up mode,” control isperformed such that the voltage value CV is 200 in an interval from θ2min=40 to θ3 min=80 as a lower limit of a next positional range, andcontrol is performed such that the voltage value CV is −30 in aninterval from θ3 min=80 to θ4 min=125 as a lower limit of a nextpositional range (FIG. 8(A), where a positive voltage value CV indicatescontrol in an up rotational direction, and a negative voltage value CVindicates control in a down rotational direction).

In addition, when the positional range becomes equal to or more than θ4min (θ4 min is, for example, 125 in a case where θ=130 is a maximumangle), a “down mode” is set, and control is performed with the targetposition θt2=20 and control gains p2 and d2 as the control information(FIG. 8(B), where the rotational direction is down in this case). Thus,the control information related to the first control mode and thecontrol information related to the second control mode may be mixed inthe setting information.

According to the present example, as illustrated in FIG. 8(A), when theuser presses in the rocking button 224 from the initial position (therotational angle θ of the arm 323 is zero at the time of the initialposition), the user presses in the rocking button 224 without receivingany resistance at all (while merely resisting the biasing forceattempting to return the rocking button 224 to the initial position)until the position of the arm 323 becomes θ=20. The user receives apresentation of a tactile force sense such that the resistance graduallyincreases while the position of the arm 323 is in a range from θ=20 toθ=40. A tactile force sense of a relatively strong reaction force (forceattempting to push back) is presented while the position of the arm 323is in a range from θ=40 to θ=80. When the user presses in the rockingbutton 224 until the position of the arm 323 becomes θ=80, the userreceives a tactile force sense as if the reaction force disappearedsuddenly.

This precisely corresponds to a state in which a tactile force sensecorresponding to a kickback feeling of a gun, as it were, is presented,that is, corresponds to a sequence in which there is play at first whenthe trigger of a pistol or the like is pulled, there is a slightreaction force until a hammer is pulled, a strong force thereafterbecomes necessary to return the hammer, a bullet is fired when thehammer then returns, and the trigger is set free.

In addition, the tactile force sense control unit 52 may estimate aspeed or a force and change a gain on the basis of a change speed of thepositional information of the arm 323, that is, on the basis of movementof a finger of the user. Specifically, the control gain is made todiffer between a case where the movement of the finger of the user(change speed of the positional information of the arm 323) is less thana threshold value determined in advance and a case where the movement ofthe finger of the user exceeds the threshold value. For example, thecontrol gain may be set stronger (so as to present a stronger reactionforce) in the case where the movement of the finger of the user (changespeed of the positional information of the arm 323) exceeds thethreshold value determined in advance than in the case where themovement of the finger of the user is less than the threshold value.

(Vibration Presentation)

In the present embodiment, a vibration may also be presented to the userby vibrating the rocking button 224. Specifically, the main device 20gives an instruction to vibrate the rocking button 224 between the firstposition on the upper side and the second position on the lower side.

Then, when the control unit 11 of the operation device 10 receives theinstruction to present the vibration, the control unit 11 switches, ineach predetermined timing, between the first control mode in which thetarget position of the actuator is set at the first position and thesecond control mode in which information setting the rotationaldirection to “down” is output together with the current value or thevoltage value.

When the vibration is presented by the method of thus alternatelyswitching between the first control mode and the second control mode,the position of a vibration limit on the upper side (first position) canbe controlled. In addition, according to this method, also for thesecond position, a distance by which the arm 323 moves (which distanceis equal to a distance by which the rocking button 224 moves when theuser is pressing in the rocking button 224) depends on the length of atime during which control in the second control mode is performed. Whenswitching from the second control mode to the first control mode isperformed in each fixed time, the second position is substantiallyconstant irrespective of the magnitude of a force with which the userpresses in the rocking button 224. Therefore the second position can becontrolled by changing the timing of switching between the first controlmode and the second control mode.

Incidentally, in the above-described case, in place of the method ofalternately switching between the first control mode and the secondcontrol mode, the control unit 11 may switch the target position betweenthe first position on the upper side and the second position on thelower side in each predetermined time in the first control mode. Inaddition, the second control mode may be used, and switching may beperformed alternately between the rotational directions “up” and “down”in each predetermined time.

In addition, as for the timing of switching between the first controlmode and the second control mode, the control unit 11 may, for example,detect the relative positions of the rocking button 224 and the arm 323during driving in the “up” direction, perform driving in the firstcontrol mode until the arm 323 and the rocking button 224 come intocontact with each other, and perform driving in the second control modeafter the arm 323 and the rocking button 224 come into contact with eachother.

(Control Based on Actual Vibration Range)

In addition, in the control of the vibration presentation, the followingcontrol may be performed on the basis of information on the range of theposition detected by the position sensor 31. Specifically, for example,when information on the specified first and second (upper limit side andlower limit side) positions represents 20 degrees and 60 degrees, butinformation on the position detected by the position sensor 31represents 20 degrees between 40 degrees and 60 degrees due to an effectof a force with which the user presses in the rocking arm, the controlunit 11 controls the upper limit side or the lower limit side (forexample, the second position as the lower limit side) so that the widthof the vibration becomes an intended width of the vibration, that is,controls the upper limit side and the lower limit side to 40 degrees and80 degrees, for example. Incidentally, the upper limit side may also becontrolled at this time.

(Another Example: Rapid-Fire Gun)

In addition, in the example of FIG. 8, when the positional range isequal to or more than θ4 min (supposing that θ=130 is a maximum angle),control may be performed with the target position θt2=125 and thecontrol gains p2 and d2 as the control information (supposing that therotational direction is up in this case). According to the presentexample, slightly returning the trigger when fully pulling the triggerand then fully pulling the trigger is repeated. In the other example, atactile force sense can be presented as if the gun were blazing.

In addition, a method of presenting a rapid-fire feeling of a gun is notlimited to the present example, but may be as follows, for example. Whenthe positional range of the arm 323 or the rocking button 224 exceeds apredetermined value (start condition value) (when θ=100 is a maximumangle, for example, the start condition value is θ=50, which is ½ of themaximum angle), for example, the operation device 10 makes a transitionto a “rapid-fire mode,” and presents a vibration by switching theactuator between the up and down directions in each predeterminedtiming.

Specifically, when the actuator is set in the up direction, the targetposition θt=5 is set as the control information, and when the actuatoris set in the down direction, the target position θt=95 is set as thecontrol information (values obtained by providing a predetermined marginto a minimum value and a maximum value are set in consideration of acase where control tends to act in an overshooting manner).

In addition, in the present example, the operation device 10 ends the“rapid-fire mode” and stops controlling the actuator when the positionalrange of the arm 323 or the rocking button 224 becomes less than apredetermined value (stop condition value). Here, the stop conditionvalue may be the same as the start condition value, or may be differentfrom the start condition value. For example, the stop condition valuemay be on a side in closer proximity to the first position than thestart condition value, or may be, for example, θ=30.

Further, it is assumed that the target position is set at a time ofcontrol of the actuator in this case. However, without limitation tothis, when the actuator is set in the up direction, the voltage value CVof the voltage supplied to the actuator may be set to a negative valueCV1 determined in advance, or when the actuator is set in the downdirection, the voltage value CV of the voltage supplied to the actuatormay be set to a positive value CV2 determined in advance (it is assumedin this case that a negative voltage value CV indicates control in theup rotational direction and that a positive voltage value CV indicatescontrol in the down rotational direction), and the voltage value CV maybe alternately set to CV1 and CV2 in each predetermined timing topresent a vibration. The presentation of this vibration may adopt amethod of alternately performing first control and second control, asdescribed earlier, instead of alternately setting the voltage value.

Incidentally, the start condition value and the end condition valuedescribed above may be provided with hysteresis. Specifically, when thepositional range of the arm or the rocking button 224 before the“rapid-fire mode” is set (before a start of determination processing ofthe start condition value) exceeds the start condition value, controlmay be performed so as not to make a transition to the “rapid-fire mode”until the positional range of the arm or the rocking button 224 oncefalls below the start condition value and thereafter exceeds the startcondition value again.

In addition, during the “rapid-fire mode,” in consideration of a casewhere control tends to act in an overshooting manner, control may beperformed so as to end the “rapid-fire mode” when a time during whichthe positional range of the arm 323 or the rocking button 224 is lessthan the stop condition value exceeds a threshold value determined inadvance, rather than ending the “rapid-fire mode” immediately when thepositional range of the arm 323 or the rocking button 224 falls belowthe stop condition value. When control is thus performed as if filteringis performed, a natural rapid-fire feeling can be presented.Incidentally, this filtering may be performed by a low-pass filter suchas uses a moving average.

(Control by Game Program)

Further, the main device 20 may output an instruction to set the controlgain as game processing. In a case of a game in which rapid fire of agun is performed, for example, the control gain may be controlled to bechanged according to the number of remaining bullets.

In addition, the main device 20 may perform control that reduces thegain according to a predetermined condition. Specifically, the controlgain may be controlled (for example, control may be performed whichreduces the control gain) on the basis of a total play time (sum of playtime in each round), the number of times of game play, a time from astart of play in each round (play time), or an elapsed time from a startof a predetermined operation as this condition. For example, in a casewhere an operation of continuing firing a machine gun is performed,control is performed so as to decrease the control gain according to anelapsed time from a start of an operation of firing the machine gun.This prevents a strong vibration from being presented continuously,while providing a feeling of performing rapid fire of the machine gun.Operability is thereby improved.

(Another Example of Presenting Force Sense)

Further, when a force of pressing the rocking button 224 by the user islarger than the force of the actuator, the rocking button 224 cannot beraised against the force of the user, and a force sense felt as if tohit an object and be repelled by the object cannot be presented.

Accordingly, in a certain example of the present embodiment, when thepositional information of the arm 323 which positional information isindicated by information input from the position sensor 31 is θ, and θt(θt>θ) is given as a target of the rotational angle of the arm 323 fromthe main device 20, the tactile force sense control unit 52 controls thearm 323 to rotate to the rotational angle θt by driving the actuator. Atthis time, the tactile force sense control unit 52 repeats, eachpredetermined timing, determining the positional information θ of thearm 323 which positional information is indicated by the informationinput from the position sensor 31, and determining whether or not thestate of θt>θ is unchanged for a time determined in advance (whether ornot the rocking button 224 is immovable for a predetermined time). Whendetermining here that the rocking button 224 is immovable for thepredetermined time, the tactile force sense control unit 52 may set anewthe target θt of the rotational angle of the arm 323 to θt=θ−Δθ (whereΔθ>0), and control the actuator.

In the present example, the rocking button 224 is pulled in instead ofbeing raised. However, because the rocking button 224 is temporarilypulled in, the force applied to the rocking button 224 by the user istemporarily weakened. Applying a force of pushing back again in responseto the weakening of the force applied to the rocking button 224 by theuser causes the user to feel the force of pushing back more strongly. Inaddition, because of an inertial force caused by pushing back from thepulled-in position, the force of pushing back is applied more strongly.Thus, as compared with a case where no change is provided at all, afeeling similar to that of being repelled is given.

Incidentally, in the case where this control is performed, the tactileforce sense control unit 52 may correct the target value to θt−Δθ andperform control in advance when the target value θt of the rotationalangle of the arm 323 is given. Thus, the arm 323 is rotated by an extraΔθ in advance, and the regulated range of the rocking button 224 is setto a position at which the rocking button 224 is raised by acorresponding amount. This enables control of pulling in by AO to beperformed at any time afterward.

In addition, when the force with which the user presses the rockingbutton 224 is relatively large, an amount of change δθ in the positionalinformation θ of the arm 323 which positional information is indicatedby the information input from the position sensor 31, the amount ofchange 80 being obtained per unit time while the tactile force sensecontrol unit 52 is performing control that rotates the motor 321 in the“up” direction, for example, may be less than a predetermined thresholdvalue δθth.

When such a state occurs, the tactile force sense control unit 52 mayprovide a period of stopping rotational control of the arm 323.Specifically, when the tactile force sense control unit 52 intends toperform control with the target of the rotational angle of the arm 323set at θt, the tactile force sense control unit 52 may perform controlin N (integer N>1) divided stages instead of performing control with thetarget of the rotational angle of the arm 323 set at θt as the finaltarget. That is, Δθt=(θt−θ)/N is set (where θ denotes the rotationalangle of the arm 323 at a point in time of a start of this control), andcontrol is performed which effects movement in steps of Δθt at timeintervals ΔT determined in advance from the rotational angle θ of thearm 323 at the point in time of the start.

Similarly, also in the case where control is performed by the voltagevalue supplied to the motor 321, instead of performing control by thevoltage value CV to be specified, a predetermined voltage value CV′ issupplied to the motor 321 at time intervals ΔT determined in advance foronly an infinitesimal time τ that can be different from ΔT (suppose thatthe rotational direction is a direction in which the original control isperformed).

Here, the predetermined voltage value CV′ may be a maximum voltage CVmaxthat can be supplied to the motor 321, or a voltage value higher thanthe voltage value CV to be specified may be calculated as thepredetermined voltage value CV′ by a predetermined method. For example,it suffices to perform multiplication by a predetermined value largerthan one, or perform addition of a predetermined value larger than zero.In either case, a setting is made such that CV′=CVmax when a result ofthe calculation exceeds the maximum voltage CVmax that can be suppliedto the motor 321.

Thus controlling the rotational angle of the arm 323 stepwise, ordiscretely, as it were, instead of controlling the rotational angle ofthe arm 323 linearly until the target rotational angle is achieved caneffectively provide the user with a feeling that the rocking button 224is being raised.

Further, when the tactile force sense control unit 52 is given θt as thetarget of the rotational angle of the arm 323 from the main device 20,the tactile force sense control unit 52 compares this θt with thepositional information θ of the arm 323 which positional information isindicated by the information input from the position sensor 31, andobtains σ(θt−θ). Here, σ(X) denotes the positive or negative sign of X.Suppose that σ(X)=−1 when X<0, that σ(X)=1 when X>0, and that σ(X)=0when X=0.

Then, the tactile force sense control unit 52 sets the target of therotational angle of the 323 to θt′=θ−σ(θt−θ)×Δθ (Δθ is an infinitesimalangle determined in advance), and controls the actuator for only a timeτ (this τ is an infinitesimal time determined in advance) so as to setthe arm 323 at the rotational angle θt′. After the time τ thereafterpasses, the tactile force sense control unit 52 sets the target of therotational angle of the arm 323 to the target angle θt specified fromthe main device 20, and starts controlling the actuator so as to set thearm 323 at the rotational angle θt.

According to the present example, the arm 323 is controlled so as tomove temporarily in an opposite direction from the specified movingdirection (preparatory operation), and thereafter the arm 323 iscontrolled so as to move in the specified direction (main operation).When the preparatory operation is thus performed before the mainoperation, movement of the main operation is emphasized, and the userfeels the movement at a time of the main operation more strongly.

Incidentally, the arm 323 may be rotatable to the outside of an initialmovable range (whole of a movable range not regulated by the arm 323) ofthe rocking button 224 to make this operation more effective. That is,in the example of FIG. 5(A), when the button cover 224 b of the rockingbutton 224 can be pressed in to the position Y, the arm 323 may berotatable until the rotational angle θ becomes a negative rotationalangle. At this time, the button cover 224 b may be regulated by anothermember so as not to be able to move below the position Y, and may be ina state of not abutting against the arm 323. However, the arm 323 can bepulled in in an opposite direction from the original rotationaldirection.

Incidentally, this control can be applied also to the case where thevoltage value of the voltage supplied to the actuator or the currentvalue of the current supplied to the actuator is specified (secondcontrol mode). Specifically, when the tactile force sense control unit52 receives, from the main device 20, information indicating therotational direction (information indicating “up” or “down”) togetherwith the current value or the voltage value, the tactile force sensecontrol unit 52 instructs the output unit 53 to set the rotationaldirection to an opposite direction from the direction received from themain device 20, and set the current or voltage to be supplied to theactuator to a predetermined current value or a predetermined voltagevalue (which may be a current value or a voltage value determined inadvance, or may be the input value itself). Then, when a time τ (supposethat this τ is an infinitesimal time determined in advance as in theforegoing) thereafter passes, the tactile force sense control unit 52outputs the information indicating the rotational direction and theinformation indicating the current value or the voltage value, whichinformation is received from the main device 20, to the output unit 53as they are.

Thus, the arm 323 is controlled so as to move temporarily in an oppositedirection from the specified moving direction (preparatory operation),and the arm 323 is thereafter controlled so as to move in the specifieddirection (main operation).

In addition, the operations of these various force sense presentationsmay be used in combination with each other. For example, when the mainoperation is performed after the preparatory operation, the rotationalcontrol of the arm 323 may be performed discretely, as it were, while aperiod of stopping the rotational control is provided.

(Prevention of Chattering)

Incidentally, in an example of the present embodiment, the main device20 may detect a speed at which the user moves the operation device 10,and make an actuator control parameter sent out to the operation device10 differ according to the detected speed. Here, the speed at which theuser moves the operation device 10 may be detected on the basis of animage obtained by imaging the user by a camera or the like connected tothe main device 20. In a case where the operation device 10 has anacceleration sensor (not depicted), and sends out the value ofacceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, the speed may bedetected on the basis of an integrated value (accumulated value) of theacceleration detected by the acceleration sensor.

Specifically, this parameter is a cutoff frequency of a low-pass filter.The output unit 53 of the control unit 11 of the operation device 10calculates an average of input values (torque control values, currentvalues, or the like) from the tactile force sense control unit 52 forimmediately preceding M times corresponding to the cutoff frequency (thevalue of M changes according to the cutoff frequency) (that is,calculates a moving average for the immediately preceding M times), andoutputs a result of the calculation to the control circuit 322. Thefaster the movement of the operation device 10 by the user, the lowerthe cutoff frequency set by the main device 20.

Thus, in a case where the main device 20 presents a tactile force sensewhen the position of the hand of the user in the virtual space of a gametouches an object disposed within the virtual space, for example, themovement of the actuator becomes slower as the user moves the handfaster (the operation device 10 fitted to the hand is moving faster). Asthe user moves the hand more slowly (in a case where the hand is movedslowly along the surface of an object within the virtual space, forexample), on the one hand, the actuator is driven along the shape of theobject within the virtual space, and a corresponding tactile force senseis presented.

Consequently, the actuator is prevented from being controlled so as tovibrate finely (such that chattering occurs) according to the positionof the object within the virtual space when the user is moving the handfast.

Further, in a case where a vibrating device such as a vibrator or thelike is fixed within the gripping portion 21, this control may beperformed for the vibrating device, and the main device 20 may detectthe speed at which the user moves the operation device 10, and make avibrating device control parameter sent out to the operation device 10differ according to the detected speed. That is, the main device 20 setsthe cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter for the vibrating devicelower as the user moves the operation device 10 faster.

(Operation)

The information processing system according to the embodiment of thepresent invention has the above configuration, and operates as in thefollowing example. In each predetermined timing (for example, timing ofeach frame), the main device 20 detects the position of the hand of theuser, and determines the content of a tactile force sense to bepresented to the hand of the user according to game processing or thelike on the basis of the detected position of the hand. In the presentembodiment, the tactile force sense to be presented to the hand of theuser is replaced by presenting the tactile force sense to a finger ofthe user. The user receives the presentation of the tactile force senseonly by the finger. However, the user feels as if the tactile forcesense were presented to the whole of the hand.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 9, in eachpredetermined timing described above, the main device 20 generates apacket (referred to as an instruction packet) including informationspecifying a control mode and control information or setting informationas the content of a tactile force sense to be presented to the hand ofthe user (S1), and sends out the packet to the operation device 10 (S2).Specifically, suppose here that a packet is sent out which includesinformation specifying the third control mode as the control mode andinformation specifying the setting information illustrated in FIG. 7.

The operation device 10 obtains, by the position sensor 31, informationon the rotational angle θ of the arm 323 (or the rocking button 224) asthe positional information of the actuator (S3). Then, the specifiedsetting information is referred to, and a control value corresponding tothe rotational angle obtained in processing S3 is obtained (S4).Specifically, when the obtained rotational angle is θ=30, the targetposition θt1 and the control gains p1 and d1, which are a control valuebetween θ1 min=20 and θ2 min=40 as the lower limit of a next positionalrange, are obtained as the control value. Then, letting G be a gainconstant, the torque control value r output to the control circuit 322for the motor 321 as the actuator is defined as

τ=(p×|θ−θt|+d×Δθ)/Gk

The calculated torque control value τ is output to the control circuit322, and rotational control of the motor 321 is performed (S5).

The operation device 10 repeats the processing of S3 to S5 until a newinstruction packet is received from the main device 20. The timing ofthis repetition is, for example, a cycle of approximately 1 kHz.Meanwhile, rotational control of the motor 321 is performed according tothe rotational angle of the arm 323 (or the rocking button 224) on thebasis of the control value set in the setting information.

Thus, in the present embodiment, until a next instruction packet isreceived from the main device 20, the operation device 10 autonomouslyperforms the operation of presenting a tactile force sense on the basisof the content of the instruction packet received previously. It istherefore possible to perform the presentation of a tactile force sensein accordance with operation timing, and present tactile force senses invarious modes.

(Example of Presenting Bow Drawing Feeling)

In addition, the main device 20 may not only determine a tactile forcesense to be presented on the basis of the position of one of a left handand a right hand to which hand to present the tactile force sense (handto which the operation device 10 is fitted in a case where the operationdevice 10 is fitted to one hand) but also determine a tactile forcesense to be presented on the basis of the positions of the left andright hands. For example, the main device 20 may set the second controlmode as the control mode of a tactile force sense to be presented, andincrease the current value as a distance between the hands is increased(suppose that the rotational direction is up). According to the presentexample, when an operation of drawing a bow is performed, for example, atactile force sense can be presented so as to make a finger of the handof the user wearing the operation device 10 feel a force such as pushesout to the outside (such as opposes a drawing force) as the distancebetween the left and right hands is increased (as a bow is drawn morestrongly).

When such a third control mode is provided, a desired force sensepresentation can be made to be performed by merely specifying one of thepieces of setting information stored on the operation device 10 side inadvance without a developer of a game program or the like on the maindevice 20 side specifying fine control.

(Modifications)

Needless to say, in the third control mode, instead of the main device20 transmitting an instruction to select one of the pieces of settinginformation stored by the operation device 10 in advance, a developer ofa game program or the like on the main device 20 side may specify finecontrol. Specifically, the main device 20 may send out informationindicating the content of setting information (information including atleast one set of the positional range of the actuator and controlinformation) together with an instruction for the third control mode,and the operation device 10 may perform operation as the third controlmode using the information as setting information.

In the present example, the operation device 10 may be further enabledto accumulate and store, in the storage unit 12, the informationindicating the content of the setting information which information isreceived from the main device 20, and thereafter receive aspecification. In this case, the main device 20 also sends outinformation (identification information) identifying the settinginformation to the operation device 10, and the operation device 10stores the information indicating the content of the setting informationin association with the identification information. It is thereforepossible to receive a specification of the setting information later byusing the identification information from the main device 20.

Incidentally, the operation device 10 according to the presentembodiment may not only present a tactile force sense in response to amoving operation of the movable portion such as the rocking button 224or the like, but also present a tactile force sense even when themovable portion is not moved.

In addition, in the example thus far, description has been madesupposing that the button cover 224 b and the arm 323 are notinterlocked with each other. However, the button cover 224 b and the arm323 may be configured to be coupled to each other and interlocked witheach other.

Also in the present example, the arm 323 is attached to the rotatingshaft of the motor 321, and regulates the movable range of the buttoncover 224 b according to the rotational angle θr of the motor 321. Then,the motor 321 performs a rotating operation by being supplied with acurrent from the control circuit 322 that supplies the motor 321 withthe current having a magnitude corresponding to the torque control valueτ input from the control unit 11.

In the present example of the present embodiment, suppose that thebutton cover 224 b coupled to the arm 323 moves to the first positionwhen the rotational angle θ of the motor 321 (angle on the output sideof a reduction gear when the reduction gear is attached; the sameapplies hereinafter) is θ0, and that the button cover 224 b moves to thesecond position when the rotational angle θ of the motor 321 is θ1(θ0≠θ1).

Then, in the present example, while the torque control value τ is inputfrom the control unit 11, the control circuit 322 supplies the motor 321with a current having a magnitude corresponding to the torque controlvalue T. In addition, while the torque control value τ is not input fromthe control unit 11, whether or not the rotational angle θr of the motor321 is equal to θ0 is determined. When the rotational angle θr of themotor 321 is not equal to θ0, a current having a magnitude determined inadvance is supplied to the motor 321 to perform rotational control ofthe motor 321 toward the rotational angle θ0. It suffices to determinean amount of current supplied in this case experimentally as an amountof current of such a degree as to present a force of such a degree as tomove the button cover 224 b as a force corresponding to the biasingforce that moves the button cover 224 b to the first position when thebutton cover 224 b is not pressed in the example in which the buttoncover 224 b and the arm 323 are not coupled to each other.

(Control of Left and Right Devices)

In addition, in the present embodiment, in a case where both the lefthand and the right hand of the user are fitted with operation devices10, the main device 20 sends out an instruction related to control forpresenting a tactile force sense to each of the operation devices 10 viarocking buttons 224.

The main device 20 determines, by a predetermined method, which of atactile force sense presented by the operation device 10 fitted to theleft hand and a tactile force sense presented by the operation device 10fitted to the right hand is a main tactile force sense. Thisdetermination may be made on the basis of a specification in accordancewith an application program such as a game or the like, or it may bedetermined that the tactile force sense presented by one of the left andright operation devices 10 on a side where the presentation of thetactile force sense is specified last is the main tactile force sense.Further, the tactile force sense presented on a side where the magnitude(for example, the magnitude of amplitude or the like) of the presentedtactile force sense is larger may be determined to be the main tactileforce sense.

The main device 20 weakens control on the side of one of the left andright operation devices 10 on which side the main tactile force sense isnot presented. For example, when determining that the operation device10 on the right side is presenting the main tactile force sense, themain device 20 reduces the control value (for example, the torquecontrol value) of the tactile force sense output to the operation device10 on the left side, and thereby reduces power consumption.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

10 Operation device, 11 Control unit, 12 Storage unit, 13 Interfaceunit, 14 Communicating unit, 15 Power supply unit, 20 Main device, 21Gripping portion, 22 Operating portion, 30 Button cover supportingportion, 31 Position sensor, 32 Regulating portion, 51 Receiving unit,52 Tactile force sense control unit, 53 Output unit, 100 Circuit unit,210 Device main body, 221 Sensor portion, 222 Button operating portion,223 Finger sensor, 224 Rocking button, 224 b Button cover, 321 Motor,322 Control circuit, 323 Arm, 323 a Arm member, 323 c Arm main body

1. An operation device having a movable portion movable between a firstposition and a second position, the movable portion being operated by auser while the operation device is gripped by the user, the operationdevice comprising: receiving means for receiving information identifyinga control mode and control information determined for each control modeas an instruction related to control of a tactile force sense; andcontrol means for controlling the tactile force sense presented to themovable portion by using the received control information in the controlmode identified by the received information.
 2. An informationprocessing system comprising: an operation device having a movableportion movable between a first position and a second position, themovable portion being operated by a user while the operation device isgripped by the user; and a main device configured to communicate withthe operation device, and output an instruction related to control of atactile force sense provided to the user; the operation device includingmeans for receiving information identifying a control mode and controlinformation defined for each control mode as an instruction related tocontrol of the tactile force sense from the main device, and controlmeans for controlling the tactile force sense presented to the movableportion by using the received control information in the control modeidentified by the received information.
 3. An operation device having amovable portion movable between a first position and a second position,the movable portion being operated by a user while the operation deviceis gripped by the user, the operation device comprising: receiving meansfor receiving information identifying a control mode and controlinformation determined for each control mode as an instruction relatedto control of a tactile force sense; and control means for controllingthe tactile force sense presented to the movable portion by using thereceived control information in the control mode identified by thereceived information.
 4. The operation device according to claim 1,wherein the movable portion includes an actuator, and the control meanscontrols the tactile force sense presented to the user by performingcontrol of the actuator.
 5. The operation device according to claim 4,wherein when the receiving means receives, as the instruction related tothe control of the tactile force sense, information includinginformation identifying a first control mode, a target position ascontrol information determined in advance for the first control mode,and a control gain of the actuator, the control means controls thetactile force sense presented to the movable portion by performingcontrol of the actuator on a basis of a difference between a position ofthe actuator and the target position and the information of the controlgain.
 6. The operation device according to claim 4, wherein when thereceiving means receives, as the instruction related to the control ofthe tactile force sense, information identifying a second control modeand information of a control voltage value or a control current value ofthe actuator as control information determined in advance for the secondcontrol mode, the control means controls the tactile force sensepresented to the movable portion by performing control of the actuatorby controlling a voltage or a current supplied to the actuator on abasis of the received control voltage value or the received controlcurrent value.
 7. The operation device according to claim 6, wherein thereceiving means further receives information related to a duration ofcontrol together with the information identifying the second controlmode, and the control means performs control of the actuator for onlythe received duration.
 8. The operation device according to claim 4,further comprising: storing means for storing setting informationincluding at least one set of information identifying a positional rangeof the actuator or the movable portion and control information, whereinwhen the receiving means receives, as the instruction related to thecontrol of the tactile force sense, information identifying a thirdcontrol mode and information identifying one piece of settinginformation in the setting information stored by the storing means, thecontrol means reads, from the storing means, the set of the informationidentifying the positional range of the actuator or the movable portionand the control information, the set being included in the identifiedsetting information, and controls the tactile force sense presented tothe movable portion by performing control of the actuator on a basis ofthe control information corresponding to the positional range of theactuator or the movable portion, the positional range including aposition of the actuator or the movable portion.
 9. A control method foran operation device having a movable portion movable between a firstposition and a second position, the movable portion being operated by auser while the operation device is gripped by the user, the controlmethod comprising: by a control unit of the operation device, receivinginformation identifying a control mode and control information definedfor each control mode as an instruction related to control of a tactileforce sense, and controlling the tactile force sense presented to themovable portion by using the received control information in the controlmode identified by the received information.